Railroad-torpedo.



Patentedlune n, mm.,

E. s. LAFFEm-v. RAILRUAD TOBPEDO.

(Application led Apr, 29, 1901.)

(No model.)

To. 60N' 1072/0111, ifm/ay conce/'72,:

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries! EnAsrUs s. ALAFEERTY, or. GALESBURG,nLiN-,oisf

SPECIFICATION forming part bf Leners 'Patent No. 676,327, dates .nine11', 'i'eoij i A Application filed April 29,1901. Serial lio. 57,9715,(No model-l n ,gg l

Beit known that I, ERAsT'Us S.`LAFFERTY a citizen of the United States,residing 'at Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State i'off Illinois,have invented a new and useful Railroad-Torpedo, of which the followingis a specification.

VThis invention relates to railroad-torpedoes;

and the'object of the present construction is to provide a device ofthis class which is simple and inexpensive in the cost of manufacture,wherein the parts are easily assembled, and when secured produce athoroughly waterproof torpedo which is readily applied t-o a track-railand positive in its explosion.

The invention consists in the construction i and arrangement of theseveral parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed.

y In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a torpedo embodyingthe features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectionof the same with the top or cap shown separated therefrom and ready tobe placed therein. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the partsassembled and secured.

Fig. A: is a detail perspective view of the bodyV or main supportingmember of the' torpedo.

Similar-numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several A views.

from the latter,

The numeral 1 designates the body or main support of the torpedo,consisting of a snitable sheet-metal cup-like device having a ,normalvertically-disposed peripheral flange 2, a iat bottom 3, and oppositepairs of clips 4, cut from the metal of said bottom and bent downwardlyat a right angle thereto to engage the usual lead or other band employedfor holding torpedoes on the track-rails. iVithin the said body a secondcup-like lining 5 is disposed, which is preferably formed from suitablepaper saturated with paran or the like to render the same waterproof,and has acompletely-closed fiat bottom 6 with anormalvertically-extending peripheral iiange, having its upper edgeapproximately iiush with the edge of the ilange 2 of the body 1. Thebottom of the lining fully covers the openings formed in the bottom 3 ofthe body 1 by cutting and bending down the clips 4 and after the saidlining'is inserted in fthe.bod'y,-asV stated,v ffully shown by Fig. 2,the-explosive:material is.

suitably placed in the. said-lining and body and the torpedo is readytobe-sealedf The sealing device consists of a dolne-shaped cap 7, having alower horizontal circumferential edge S with a diameter approximatingthe diameter of the bottom 6 of the lining inside of the tiange of thelatter. The said parts being thus prepared, the explosive material isplaced in the lining and the cap 7 is closed over the same with its edgeclosely fitting against the inner lower portion ot' the iange of thesaid lining. By suitable means the flange 2 of the body 1` is bentinwardly toward the lower edge portion of the cap 7 and simultaneouslythe flange of the lining is likewise bent inwardly by the pressureexertedv on the ange of the body, the latter flange being preferablycrimped, as shown by Fig. 1, to provide a more positive securement ofthe same. TNhen this joint is completed, as clearly shown by Fig. 3, theiiange of the lining provides an interposed waterproof packing for thesame, and thus completely excludes moisture, and the contained explosivematerial will be invariablykeptin a dry condition, and thereby insure anexplosion of the same, and thus avoid the disadvantages now found intorpedoes failing to explode by reason of entrance of moisture thereintoand a4 consequent impairment of the explosive. In some instances thelining will be formed of material of such close and naturally waterprooftexture that it will be unnecessary to first treat the same with aparaffin coating or the l fte, and also the joint eanbe renderedperipheral lia-nge, a lining fitted in the said.

body and having a vertical flange approximately flush with that of thebody, and a cap having a lower circumferential edge to tit within thelining and bear against the inner lower portion of the lining-flange,the flange' of the body beingbent over' on the adjacent edge portion ofthe cap and. simultaneously -siniilarly bending the ange'of the lining,v

the latter vflange forming a' packing for the joint f l.

2.` A'torpedo of the class'set forth( zorn'p'ris-4 ing a body with aperipheral flange, a lining lsnugly fitted in the body and also having aperipheral flange, and acap having its lower edge tted in the lining andthelanges of the body and lining -be'nt'over against the said 'cap edge,the lining-flange forming a moisture excluding .packing between thebodyange and cap edge. r l

3. A torpedo of the class set forth compr-.is-

ing a body with a peripheral flange, a paper lining saturated withparain and 'snugly :fitted in the said body, the lining also having aperipheral ange, and 'a cap having its lower edge portion' tted in thelining and the' flanges of the body and said lining Vbent overth'erejon, the'ange of the lining forming an inter posed moisture--excluding 'packing for the joint.4

In testimonythat I 'claim the foregoing as 2 5' my own I'ha'v'e heretoaffixed my signature in

